What was supposed to be a routine day at Kellogg Park in La Jolla ended in screams and a hospital dash last Tuesday, when the family of a one-year-old says the toddler stepped on buried hot coals and ash and suffered severe burns to both feet. According to a new lawsuit, the child needed emergency hospitalization, procedures under anesthesia and now faces ongoing pain along with permanent disfigurement.
In a lawsuit obtained by Times of San Diego, the toddler’s mother, Sarah Varni Goldberg, recounts how her son screamed as the skin on his feet peeled and swelled. The complaint says he could not walk for a period of time and that the injuries have left lasting scars. The family is asking for punitive damages and compensation for the emotional and psychological fallout of the incident.
Local television coverage identified the child as Sennan Goldberg and quoted his mother describing “full-thickness second-degree burns” that now require daily visits to burn specialists. As reported by ABC 10News, the family says the coals were buried near a charcoal pit at the park and is calling for tighter restrictions on charcoal use at family-oriented beaches and shoreline parks.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The complaint accuses the City of San Diego of failing to provide designated receptacles for hot coals, neglecting to clear ash from pedestrian areas and not posting adequate warning signs to alert visitors to the danger of hidden embers. The family argues that those lapses exposed a toddler to a well-known hazard and is seeking punitive damages in addition to money for emotional distress and continuing medical care…